Recipe Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate

Creamy Crock Pot Hot Chocolate recipe that is to die for!  This easy hot cocoa will warm you up on those cozy, cold winter days and is a great hot drink to serve for Christmas.  I make this for every party in the colder months.

If you’re “lucky” enough to live in a part of the country that’s snowy and cold all winter long, then you can really use some warming up on those freezing cold days.  Whether you call it hot chocolate or hot cocoa (what DO you call it, by the way?) you will LOVE this smooth and comforting creamy crock pot hot chocolate recipe for the slow cooker.

Whatever you call it, it is absolutely delicious and perfect on a cold day and is a must try for special occasions or just a lazy winter day spent at home.  I made it again recently for my family and they all raved about it and said it was the best hot chocolate they have ever had.  It would be hard to go back to the hot cocoa packets after trying this – be warned!

Best Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate Recipe

This is a really great hands-off and super easy way to make hot chocolate for a party, Christmas,  or any holiday gathering…basically anywhere there will be a good crowd of people!  I made a double batch of this for my big Groundhog day party and it made my life a heck of a lot easier so I could concentrate on the rest of the food-making.

Mouthwatering, decadent Crock Pot Hot Chocolate (this coming from someone who isn’t even crazy about chocolate)…..once you try this hot chocolate recipe, you won’t go back to store bought packets, I promise you that.

Creamy Crock Pot Hot Chocolate, or hot cocoa, recipe to warm you up on those cold winter days. It is a great hot drink to serve for Christmas or a party.

The Best Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate {rich And Creamy}

I doubled this for a large party and used a 6.5 quart crock pot which was filled almost to the very topThis rich and creamy Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate is great for a snowy winter day or for entertaining. Having a holiday party? This recipe is a fun way to create a serve-yourself cocoa bar for your guests!

The first time I made hot chocolate in my crockpot, my friends asked me my reasoning for it. Why cook something that takes minutes to heat on the stove for 2 hours in a slow cooker?

A slow cooker to make great hot chocolate? Definitely not. Are there times when it’s the preferable way to make it? Definitely!

Crock Pot Thick & Creamy Hot Chocolate + Video

For me, the slow cooker is convenient and easy for when I want to make hot chocolate in bulk, especially during the holiday season. With the crockpot, I don’t need to monitor a big pot of simmering milk on the stove, or regulate the flame to make sure it doesn’t scorch.

In just a few minutes, I can prep the hot chocolate in the pot and make a fun, serve-yourself beverage that’s great for tree trimming parties, cookie swaps, and Christmas open houses.

It’s also a good treat for days when we’re cozy at home and want to help ourselves to leisurely mugs of hot chocolate over the span of a few hours (

Homemade Crockpot Hot Chocolate Recipe For A Crowd

Making hot chocolate in the slow cooker couldn’t be simpler. Just mix everything together and heat it on LOW for 2 hours, giving the mixture an occasional stir. It doesn’t get easier than that!

I tested this recipe across several different slow cooker models, and the heating times varied, in some cases, by over an hour. Since milk is perishable, I like to bring it out of the “danger temperature zone” (

To ensure proper food safety across all models when making slow cooker hot chocolate, I recommend warming your milk and cream to 90-100 degrees F before adding it to the insert. I just pop the dairy in the microwave to warm it up.

Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate Recipe (crockpot)

Starting with warm milk and cream, the hot chocolate in 4.5 quart ceramic Crock Pot pictured here made it to 140 degrees F within about an hour and a quarter on LOW heat.

After a total of 2 hours, the hot chocolate was a comfortable 155-160 degrees F, which is the perfect temperature for me. It’s hot enough to satisfy and soften marshmallows, but not scorching to where I’m burning my mouth.

After the hot chocolate is heated above 140 degrees F and everything is melted, you can hold it in your slow cooker on the “warm” setting for 2 hours. After that, store it in the refrigerator and reheat it on the stove or in the microwave before serving.

Easy Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate Recipe Rich, Creamy

You’ll notice that as the hot cocoa sits in the slow cooker (and when it’s chilled), some of the melted chocolate will create a darker layer on the surface. It should be stirred before serving each mug.

I like to serve the hot chocolate with a variety of toppings for my guests to choose from, like marshmallows, candy canes, whipped cream, chocolate shavings, chocolate or caramel sauce, and cookie dippers.

) Add them about 5 minutes before you’re ready serve, place the lid back on the crockpot, and they’ll create a melty, slightly frothy layer that you can scoop up with your cocoa.

Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate • The Diary Of A Real Housewife

I don’t recommend doing this if you’re going to keep the cocoa on a “warm” setting. The marshmallows will dissolve completely the longer they sit and make the hot chocolate too sweet. In this case, offer marshmallows on the side for guests to add to their mugs.

It’s easy to tweak the base recipe to create different hot chocolate flavors for your friends and family. Here are some of our favorites:

A. Yes, with a few caveats. We prefer semisweet chocolate for a rich, decadent flavor. Hot cocoa made with milk chocolate will not be as deeply-flavored. It will also make the drink considerably sweeter, so you’ll need to adjust the added sugar accordingly if making a swap.

Slow Cooker Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate + Giveaway

*See the Food Safety section of the article above for why I recommend taking the chill off of the dairy before adding it to the slow cooker.

Calories: 621 kcal | Carbohydrates: 51 g | Protein: 12 g | Fat: 42 g | Saturated Fat: 25 g | Cholesterol: 88 mg | Sodium: 127 mg | Potassium: 652 mg | Fiber: 4 g | Sugar: 42 g | Vitamin A: 1074 IU | Vitamin C: 1 mg | Calcium: 336 mg | Iron: 3 mg

About our Recipes: Please note that our recipes have been developed using the US Customary measurement system and have not been tested for high altitude/elevation cooking and baking.

Crock Pot Hot Chocolate (+video)

Have you made this recipe? Don’t forget to leave a comment and rate the recipe below! Take a picture? Tag @ and # on Instagram!This Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate aka Hot Cocoa is so creamy and decadent with only 10 minutes of prep! It will make your entire house smell so incredible. It’s so chocolate-y, tastes incredible and is perfect for large amounts of hot cocoa!

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My usual go-to drink for the holidays is my vegan eggnog. But now it’s sharing the spotlight with this vegan hot chocolate, or as I’ve always called it, vegan hot cocoa. The idea to make this any holiday drink in the slow cooker first came after I made my slow cooker apple cider years ago. The aromatic smell that filled our then apartment was beautifully warming and intoxicating. It’s like the world’s most natural fall candle! 

Easy Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate! (adult & Kid Friendly Versions)

What could my winter/Christmas/holiday version be of this? Why – hot cocoa! Not only is this recipe unbelievably easy with only 6 ingredients, it lasts for days, is great for sharing and tastes so delicious. This will for sure be at the centre of your holiday dessert or drink table and since it stays warm, you or your family members could easily serve themselves!

Brown sugar or white sugar – either one works, but I prefer brown sugar or cane sugar for that warm it adds. You can easily up the sugar if you want more. I like my hot cocoa more dark chocolate-y so if you want yours sweeter, add more a tablespoon at a time.

Sea salt – don’t leave this out! It balances out the cocoa perfectly! Remember I use sea salt, so if you’re using table salt, use less

Hot Chocolate Bar + Crockpot Hot Chocolate Recipe

Vegan milk – I prefer soy milk here for its high protein content (helps to make this thick and smooth and creamy) but you can also use cashew milk or another semi-thick vegan milk.

Coconut milk – you can also use a separate very thick vegan milk here, but you need something to help with the thickness. You don’t taste any coconut flavour after it’s been cooked out.

Vanilla extract or paste – this is optional, but recommended! You could even add more here, or another extract such as peppermint!

Crockpot Hot Chocolate Recipe

A slow cooker! This has been such an incredible year being a Crockpot Ambassador as it’s helped